What to do and see in Scotland, United Kingdom: The Best Sightseeing Tours

June 26, 2021 Vivienne Hutton

– in Europe  (green & dark grey) – in the United Kingdom  (green)
Restaurants in Scotland

1. GHD Clan tour of OUTLANDER series

Royal Highland Hotel, 18 Station Square, Academy St, Inverness IV1 1LG, UK GHD Clan Tours
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5.0 based on 3 reviews

George will personaly guide you through time pointing out all the references to the Outlander Series in the Highlands. Visit the Culloden Battlefield and other areas where Claire and Jamie travel.

Inclusions: Bottled water, To hear George talk about Culloden, you'd think he was there

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Reviewed By mutleymushu

I wanted to book a trip where myself and my husband were the only passengers but I wasn’t paying stupid money, and this trip fitted the bill. We had an excellent trip with George, who went out of his way to find us as many distilleries as he could. Unfortunately because of coronavirus many had shut their doors to visitors. Unsurprisingly none of the distilleries we did visit were doing tours of where they do production, but the ones we visited for tastings were well worth it. The highlight for us was Glenmorangie. We’d highly recommend a day with George, a true gent and Highlander.

2. Private 4 Hour Tour of Edinburgh in a Spacious 6-seater Mercedes

Edinburgh Cab Tours
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5.0 based on 28 reviews

Soak up the amazing sights of both the Old and New Town of Edinburgh in the comfort of a Mercedes 6-seat vehicle during this 4 hour tour. This private tour is perfect for the visitor who has limited time and who wants to see all of the major attractions. You will have time to get out, walk around and take photos and to learn about this beautiful medieval city from your guide. Or perhaps, you are a visitor who simply wants a shorter tour to orientate yourself to the layout of the city with hints and tips from your guide on the best places to visit, eat and shop in your own time. Here are just some of the places that you will be able to stop at on your tour: Edinburgh Castle Grassmarket Greyfriars Bobby Royal Mile St Giles Cathedral Mercat Cross Palace of Holyrood House Arthur's Seat Calton Hill Walter Scott Monument New Town Dean Village

Inclusions: Driver/guide, Live commentary on board, Local guide, All activities

Exclusions: Food and drinks, Gratuities

Reviewed By Anna P

We had a complicated itinerary coming to Scotland when moving our oldest over from the US to attend university here and having to do a mandatory two week quarantine upon arrival. There were many logistics and details that had to work out just right from our arrival with many bags to collecting us after quarantine and then picking up a special order of essentials at the local department store. We simply could not have done it without Andy. Starting with the original email correspondence, he was extremely professional, friendly and helpful and through it all he offered excellent communication and handled our few curveballs with grace and a great attitude. He's very knowledgeable about this great country and it's history and landscape and is such a great guy that we've invited him and his wife to come stay with us sometime in California. That's how much we trust and appreciate Andy and Edinburgh Cab Tours. Highly recommend for an airport transfer or better yet, a tour of the the city and beyond.

3. Crime and Punishment: Explore Aberdeen's darker history on a walking audio tour

The Tolbooth Museum, Castle St, Aberdeen AB11 5BB, UK VoiceMap Aberdeen
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5.0 based on 3 reviews

From bodysnatching and beheadings to witchcraft and whippings, we share real life stories of crime and punishment from the last 500 years on this self-guided GPS audio tour. Along the way you’ll see major Aberdeen landmarks, from Marischal College to the Mercat Cross, and learn how they were witness to darkest chapters in the city’s history. Scot Free Tours sheds a light on the baffling and often unjust laws of the last five centuries – and reveals that past is not as far away as we think. Thousands of people have loved our 5-star rated live tours and now you can experience them with freedom of an audio guide! The tour plays audio automatically at exactly the right time and place using your smartphone's GPS and the VoiceMap mobile app, which also works offline. Start the tour in the app, put your phone in your pocket, and let us guide you around Aberdeen. The total walking distance is 3km and takes about 45 minutes without stopping, but you can pause anytime!

Inclusions: Lifetime access to this tour in English, VoiceMap app for Android and iOS, Offline access to audio, maps, and geodata

Exclusions: Smartphone and headphones, Transportation, Food and drink, Tickets or entrance fees to any museums or other attractions en route

Reviewed By nickjtravels

A very informative tour of Aberdeen that we did on our brief stop in Aberdeen earlier this year. When we return we will be doing one of the other tours on VoiceMap. Altogether a great experience that is perfect in a COVID-19 world as you go around by yourselves and will still work well when this pandemic is well behind us. We were so pleased with this tour we did another one in Liverpool on the same trip and this was of the same quality. Just make sure you have plenty of charge on your phone!

4. BMW X5 SUV Ultimate Speyside, Macallan, Cardhu, Glenfiddich, Aberlour, Glenlivet

Inverness Whisky Tours
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5.0 based on 3 reviews

Gavin Nicholson, the two metre tour guide has been discovering Scotland his whole life and over the last 8 years he has become one of the most sought after tour guides in Scotland. Gavin is a knowledgeable and passionate born and bred Scottish Highlander who will entertain you with stories and anecdotes about growing up in Scotland. Sit back and relax while you tour in one of the most technologically advanced luxury tour vehicles in Scotland. Gavin's BMW X5 M50d 4x4 SUV can take you to parts of Scotland other tour vehicles can only dream of. An elevated vantage point so that you can see more of the beautiful Scottish Highland scenery throughout your tour. Panoramic roof for 360° degree views. Widescreens front and back to view maps and information throughout your journey. Heated seats front and back for those chilly days where you need warmed up. Chocolate paired whisky tastings from Gavin's extensive private collection.

Inclusions: Private transportation, Air-conditioned vehicle, Bottled water, Snacks, Kilted Highland Guide, Whisky and Chocolate Tasting, Face Mask and Hand Sanitiser, Free WIFI so that you can stay connected

Exclusions: Lunch, Entrance Fees

Reviewed By wontonshawn

I honestly do not have enough good things to say about Gavin and his company. He organized a great day of distilleries and sights for us and it was easily the best day of our vacation. It is obvious he does this because he genuinely loves sharing Scotland (and its whisky) with people. We basically left all the planning up to him and it was the correct choice. He was also able to get us last minute reservations at a fantastic restaurant in Inverness and coordinated a taxi driver (John, who was also a lot of fun to spend time with) for us as well. In short, this is the kind of experience one hopes to have when traveling and very rarely gets. Do yourself a favor and book Gavin himself if you have the opportunity, we can't recommend him highly enough.

5. Orkney Mini Tour 5 hours

Orkney Travel
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5.0 based on 4 reviews

This tours take you through some of Orkney’s famous Neolithic sites including Skara Brae, Standing Stones of Stenness and Ring of Brodgar. We then have a drive with scenic views of the sheltered of Scapa Flow which was used by the British Navy during both World Wars and the final resting place of HMS Royal Oak. We then go to the Italian Chapel. Built during the 2nd World War by Italian prisoners of war who were stationed on the island of Lamb Holm and tasked with building the Churchill Barriers. Finally we have a look around the beautiful St Magnus Cathedral in the heart of Kirkwall. Built in 1137 when Orkney was under Norse rule.

Inclusions: Air-conditioned vehicle, WiFi on board, Private transportation, Bottled water

Exclusions: Entry Fee's to Skara Brae and Italian Chapel

Reviewed By gtorkos

My husband and I booked a tour with local Orkney guide Garry for 9-28-19. Prior to our trip Garry sent an email introducing himself and asking if we had any special requests. We arranged for him to pick us up at the Kirkwall airport at 8 am where we would start our 8 hour tour. Garry was inside the airport waiting for us when we landed with a name placard. We got settled (with our luggage) in his car while he reviewed our itinerary. He used a small microphone so that my husband who was seated in the backseat could hear him as well as I could in the front. He was very organized, arranging the sites according to when they were not as busy. He also used laminated maps and photos to help us understand the geography and sites. Garry has lived in Orkney all his life, so he was able to talk about historical facts, historical figures, and landmarks with personal knowledge and experiences which gave the tour a personal touch. Garry was also very flexible, as we talked and he got to know us, he was able to make several unscheduled stops that he thought we would like. We opted to eliminate one scheduled stop to keep us on schedule. He dropped us (and our luggage) off at our hotel at the end of the day. Overall, it was a wonderful tour. Garry was punctual, knowledgeable, flexible, patient and passionate about the Orkney Islands. One thing to consider. If you purchased a Scotland explorer pass, let Garry know in advance. He prepaid for two admissions for us, and we had free admission with our passes. I think he was able to be reimbursed for this, but if we had told him in advance it would have saved him some time getting it all straightened out. I would highly recommend this tour and this excellent tour guide.

6. GHD Clan Tour of Speyside Distilleries

Royal Highland Hotel, 18 Station Square, Academy St, Inverness IV1 1LG, UK GHD Clan Tours
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5.0 based on 7 reviews

You will be transported through time as you travel towards Speyside getting closer to George's Home town. You may hear his accent change slightly the closer he gets to the area of his childhood NOTE: It will depend on how early you book this tour as it is not always possible to gain entry to all distilleries on the same day as they are usually very busy. George will always do his best to ensure you get to visit and enjoy the distilleries of your choice around the area.

Inclusions: Bottled water, Local knowledge from a (TRUE) Highlander in a Kilt :)

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Reviewed By mutleymushu

I wanted to book a trip where myself and my husband were the only passengers but I wasn’t paying stupid money, and this trip fitted the bill. We had an excellent trip with George, who went out of his way to find us as many distilleries as he could. Unfortunately because of coronavirus many had shut their doors to visitors. Unsurprisingly none of the distilleries we did visit were doing tours of where they do production, but the ones we visited for tastings were well worth it. The highlight for us was Glenmorangie. We’d highly recommend a day with George, a true gent and Highlander.

7. The Potter Trail Private Tour

Greyfriars Bobby Statue, Edinburgh Old Town, Edinburgh EH1 2QQ, UK The Potter Trail
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5.0 based on 165 reviews

Founded in 2012, we are the original Harry Potter tour in Edinburgh. Our guides have the most experience of any tour company in Edinburgh and we are consistently rated most highly by visitors across all platforms. Booking a private tour with us will ensure the ultimate experience for Harry Potter fans as you'll be able to take the tour at your own pace and ask as many questions as you like! All of guides are trained comic performers so we can guarantee they will captivate and entertain you as well as impress with their extensive knowledge. We are also happy to customise this tour to suit you! We take on lots of bookings for hen parties and school groups and our guides are skilled at catering the tour content for any audience. Edinburgh is as magical to us as it is to JK Rowling and we hope this passion will inspire you too!

Inclusions: Guide

Exclusions: Please bring something that you can use as a wand. This can be anything roughly wand shaped - a pen or umbrella will work well!

Reviewed By rebeccajT8303LU

Our family did a virtual tour and just loved it! Our guide, Gemma, was so engaging and knowledgeable. We enjoyed our time so very much. It was like a little escape while still at home.

8. Merchant City Music Walking Tour of Glasgow

THE CLUTHA, Glasgow G1 4SP, UK Glasgow Music City Tours
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5.0 based on 39 reviews

Explore Glasgow's music scene with this two hour guided walking tour of iconic venues in the Merchant City and East End. Entertaining and informative, this tour has all the stories about the legendary performers who have stayed, played and made music in Glasgow. The city has an unrivalled reputation for producing brilliant bands, making memorable music and putting on unforgettable shows. This tour will show you how and why. Our guides are enthusiastic music fans and writers who are immersed in Glasgow’s cultural life. The tour finishes at the hip and happening Mono Café Bar where customers can enjoy a 20% discount on food. You don't need to be a music expert to enjoy the tour and even if you are, you may still learn new things. Jam-packed with anecdotes, the tour is designed to show a different side of Glasgow to both visitors and locals.

Inclusions: Includes voucher for 20% discount on food at Mono Cafe Bar.

Exclusions: Food and drinks, unless specified

Reviewed By pamela212021

Excellent tour with Fiona as our very informative, knowledgeable guide. We have already recommended to family and friends.

9. The Mountebank Comedy Walk of Edinburgh

Monkey Barrel Comedy, 9-11 Blair St, Edinburgh EH1 1QR, UK The Mountebank Comedy Tour of Edinburgh
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5.0 based on 165 reviews

Edinburgh's hysterical, historical, and completely original Mountebank comedy walking tour is back and we are in desperate need of a laugh now more than ever! Come and laugh off the pandemic on the only tour of Edinburgh that is led by a local, professional, stand-up comedian guaranteed to make you laugh yourself silly! The aim is simple, to make you laugh a lot while you learn a little about Scotland's incredible capital. *Please note I sometime have to take my mega friendly dog Brahan aka 'The Bonnie Prince' on the tour, he is the softest dog in Scotland but if you have any issues with dogs please let me know "a star on the rise at the moment with material totally on the pulse, Daniel is one to watch". (Mumble Comedy) '5* best history show 2019 Fringe' (Herald) 'the best walking tour I've ever been on,' 'my face ached from laughing so much,' 'laugh riot humor and historical intrigue,' 'masterfully executed,' 'I'll never look at a unicorn the same way again' (guest reviews)

Inclusions: Guide

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Reviewed By Bigtonylarok

Dan is an extremely witty guy, with excellent knowledge of the city. A brilliant way to spend a couple of hours . Dan gave us some excellent recommendations . Highly recommended

10. Private Glasgow Ghost Tour: City Center Exploration Game

Glasgow Central Station, Gordon St, Glasgow G1 3SL, UK Questo Glasgow | City Games & Tours
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4.9 based on 19 reviews

Embark on a quest around Glasgow by solving clues that will take you to the most haunted places in the city, all with the help of your smartphone. Unlock new stories as you discover on your own Merchant City, George Square, the Lighthouse, and more. + Discover the most haunted streets, villas, and squares in the city + Find out the horror stories of the people who used to live there + Solve clues on your phone while you visit the haunted Glasgow You are invited to discover the captive souls, the spirits and the mysterious skeletons of Glasgow with an interactive city exploration app. Each clue will lead you from one place to another, giving you exact directions, so you won’t need a map, a GPS or a guide. When you solve it and guess the answer, the secret story of that place is unlocked. Start and stop whenever you want. Along the way, you’ll find horror stories that will give you the chills. Dare you go on this tour?

Inclusions: Full flexibility: start at any hour, take a break at any time and resume later, This tour is always available to book. We are open 24/7, every day of the week., This is the safest tour you can book: it is private, no human contact, you will avoid crowds., Play offline: you DON'T NEED an internet connection to play this city game

Exclusions: A physical tour guide

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